Reports from entrants in the 2013 ILLW event. Please send comment and pics by email. Please send photos as attachments rather than embed them in the email.
I must say it was very rewarding for me and my small band of helpers to see a record number of entries this year. It seems as thought lots of good contacts were made and some old friendships renewed.
From Kevin VK2CE: I actually managed to get away to my favourite lighthouse this weekend and take part in the event that keeps me busy during the previous 12 months. It was especially important this year as the Greencape lighthouse was celebrating its 130th birthday. It was actually first lit on 1 November 1883 but the precint manger, Auswide Ltd, decided to hold the party on the ILLW date of 17-18 August. I was accompanied by Grant VK2GEL on his first trip to the lighthouse and between us we had a wonderful time as did some other 150 or so people who attended the festivites, The Mayor and the Local Member were present and offered some words of wisdom. On the Saturday night the globe in the 1st order Fresnel Lens, which was decommissioned some years ago, was lit by Ian Clifford the Vice President of Lighthouses of Australia and once again her 30 km beam stretched across the Tasman sea albeit for two nights only.
From the Tablelands Group Far North Queensland:-
Grassy Hill Lighthouse 2013 Report VK4GHL
12 Lighthouses In Australia and overseas were contacted and 2 lighthouses received but could not make contact - GB1DLH and PA25SCH. Several overseas stations were contacted who were not lighthouse stations.
Once again the Tablelands Radio Group travelled the 300 kms for the ninth year to set up at Grassy Hill Lighthouse Cooktown.
Commenced setting up by 8am and on air at 10am without any injuries.
Initially, reception was good and apart from a bit of interference, several contacts were made before the RD Contest began. It was ironic that when the RD Contest started the bands seemed to drop off and Lighthouse contacts dwindled!
Among the visitors to our station, we were fortunate to receive the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Australia, Mr. Paul Madden CMG and his son Sebastian, along with Sayah and Mayor Peter Scott of Cook Shire Council. We made formal presentations to both Mr. Madden and Mayor Scott of an engraved wooden plaque featuring the Grassy Hill Lighthouse including details of the history of the ILLW and also a photo of the WW2 radar station and the lighthouse.
PR for the event this year was undertaken on site by Pat VK4MUY and Helen Booth XYL of Wilf VK4ZNZ.
Our thanks to the organisers of the event and the participants that we made contact with for their friendly and patience at times under some difficult conditions.
Tablelands Radio Group.
From Curacao (formerly Netherlands Antilles):-
Another event at PJ2L Lighthouse AN0002, our LH is at a very isolated place on the North-West side of Curacao, the off-road was very bad but with the 4X4 I could climb the hilltop and towing a other car.
We where with four radio friends including our guest operator IW1FC ( Silvano ). This year we try to run the radio on solar power and was a big success. Two batteries powered by a power-film solar-panel, Kenwood TS 480HX and a Chameleon vertical antenna. No more gasoline generator to carry anymore. The conditions on all band where bad, but we where able to work with 120 stations in 22 Countries. The weather was very hot 34 degrees Celsius and almost no shade to hide, so after five hours we left the LH spot to return home. We all enjoy a lot and will be next year again back on the air. We have to inform our government about the bad condition of the LH, bricks feld out of the tower and the solar panel of the light is in bad shape, so I will inform them about it.
Greetings PJ2LS ( Louis )
From IP1T at Faro San Venerio Lighthouse on Tinos Island:-
Kevin
the ILLW 2013 is over.
We operate from about UTC 8:00 am of saturday till about 02:00 pm on sunday.
A total of about 30 hours. This is due to limitation for accessing the island that -you know- is a military zone.
At the moment I have not the full situation about QSOs because only few are on the computer. The most are on paper....
The estimated amount of QSOs is 1300, more or less. I will send more detailed infos asap. Do you need the logs?
This morning I will send to you the CD with the pictures of the St Venerio lighthouse and Tino island and sorrounding places.
Pse QSL when you receive the CD. I do not think tha we had a QSO, conditions for Pacific area were not good.
We operated with 100W a wire multiband dipole and a monoelement delta loop for 20 and 15 meters.
We worked also VHF 50, 70 and 144 MHz. QSL of expeditons are not printed at the moment - maybe we return on Tino
Isl once more in september. When the cards will be available I will send one to you, for your archive...
Its my pleasure this correspondence with you and I hope a contact on the radio waves very soon. I am a CW fanatic....
All the best and 73.
Giuliano I1SAF
Click here for photos of the weekend activity on Tinos Island.
From Tony VK3VTH on King Island in Bass Strait:-
Hi Kevin,
The weather on King Island (OC-233) was not as kind as previous years ………. high winds, rain, hail & brief electrical storms, made this year a little more “interesting” for the activation of Currie Lighthouse AU0016.
Walking vertical in the Light House precinct was somewhat of a challenge during the gusty squalls that rolled in from the Southern Ocean. It made me very aware of the horrid conditions Light House Keepers and their families often endured and I am sure many still do in some places, around the globe.
Radio wise however the ILLW activation weekend all went to plan, with the QSO Count being 230 Contacts in total, comprising 158 DX and 72 VK Stations in the Log. I was privileged to work several DX Light Houses including UA0007, Tsaregradskiy, (Front) in the Ukraine operated by Petro UR5FCZ, during a Long Path 20m opening on Saturday. Several ZL Light Houses are “in the Log” along with a few VK Light Houses, many very ably operated by ZL and VK Clubs.
I would like to thank Sue, Richard, Dale (VK7YR) Ondrea and Kathleen (editor of the King Island Courier) once again for their support in 2013. Without assistance from the “locals” this operation would not be possible. And, of course, thanks to all those who “chased” me in the Pile Ups!
QSL cards for the ILLW and the IOTA activation have been sent to the VK3 Bureau for all Logged contacts.
See you in 2014.
73 Tony VK3VTH/7
From Matt M0LMK at North Foreland Lighthouse UK:-
Hi Kevin,
What a great 2013 ILLW weekend!
Our tiny little station at UK0128 managed 220 contacts in a total of 8 hours.
Would you please put the report (or extracts of) on to the 2013 reports page on illw.net.
Thank you from all of us who operated GB0NFL for helping to run this excellent weekend.
Matt M0LMK
From Helios Tower in Germany:-
HI OM,
here is my report. And some pics. Was really fun!
ILLW 2013 - DL1KVN/LH Helios Tower Cologne
The Helios AG für elektrisches Licht und Telegraphenanlagenbau was a German electrical engineering company. Founded in 1882 it existed until its liquidation in 1930. Helios Tower is a lighthouse that was completed in 1882. The structure is located in Cologne, Köln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe.
A few days before the event I got in contact with the caretaker of the Helios site in Cologne Germany and then had the opportunity to get QRV on Saturday on the Helios Tower DE0011 for ILLW 2013.
I came to the tower by bike at 7 UTC, carried everything up and the vertical was set up quickly with 10m wire. Unfortunately, I had strong QRM by the railway line that is located directly at the tower. On 30m it was better and so I quickly builded a 30m vertical. 20m was full, because there was a contest running. Later I found out that the QRM also entered the trx through the battery charger. So I disconnected the powercable and ran the trx only by the full charged LIFEPO4 Battery. With 40 Watts CW the trx runs for hours.
Result:
63 CW QSO's
3 SSB QSO's
Equipment:
FT-857D
MFJ Tuner
LIFEPO4 17Ah
Spieth Mast - Wires
73 DL1KVN
(Note: Handwritten log and no computer, great!)
From Ireland at Strove Lighthouse:-
Hello Kevin from Peter EI4JR and Tommy EI2HXB from the Carndonagh Amateur Radio Club. What a fantastic event.
We were using the Callsign of the club EI0CAR/P and the ILLW number was IE0011.
We operated from the most northern lighthouse in Ireland called Strove Lighthouse. We managed to operate on both days. The weather was wet and windy as you would expect in Ireland.Bands operated were 15 20 & 40 meters SSB & psk31. TS 2000 at 100w and a simple Windom offset diploe. The power provided by a generator on both days. The West Tyrone Radio Club also joined us on both days helping with the setup and operating.
We are all looking forward to the next event in 2014. Thank you for the event
Regards
Peter EI4JR
Carndonagh Amateur Radio Club
From the Lighthouse that isn't a lighthouse in Alice Springs in the centre of Australia. This was a rare opportunity for the residents of an inland city to learn about the ILLW, lighthouses and amateur radio at an event uniquely Australian, a regatta on a dry river bed, the Henley on Todd:-
Hello Kevin,
Thanks for your follow up, we had about 100 contacts with other Remembrance Day contesters and lighthouses or should l say about 50 of each.
I have attached a link from ABC Alice Springs which came to our tent and we had about 50 people come into our “shack’ on the day.
We handed out some 60 flyers about the lighthouse to people and had over 300 people come to the event. We would love to support the event next year and look forward to the weekend and we invite yourself to our lighthouse to work the world and to show you who we do things up in the Alice.
Again thanks for the help and we all wish you well from the heart of Australia
Greg vk8gm
Ocean – Monmouth Amateur Radio Club,
N2MO,
International Lighthouse / Lightship weekend
For the last seven years the Ocean – Monmouth Amateur Radio Club has participated in the International Lighthouse / lightship Weekend. As in years passed we were hoping too operating from the Sandy Hook lighthouse, US0035 this year. Sandy Hook Lighthouse is located on the grounds of the former U.S. Army Fort Hancock facility. Which is now part of the National Gateway Park System. After Super Storm Sandy in October of 2012 we were worried that we would not be able to use the facility as the storm had caused major damage to the Sandy Hook Gateway National Park area. Working with our contact in the park system we were informed in May of this year that the lighthouse had not suffered any major damage from the storm. And we would be able to once again to operate form the light. So we started to plan operation “Stronger Then The Storm “.
Plans were worked up to operate Three stations. Two High Frequency and One VHF station. As in pasted years we were going to hang wire antennas off the top of the light tower. The decision was made to use an Alpha – delta sloper off the North East quadrant and a G5RV hung as a sloper off the western quadrant. This would give use multi band capability with paths to both Europe and the United States. With the Antennas at ninety degrees to each other interference was keep to a minimum. And having the Atlantic Ocean and Raritan Bay on either side as ground plans would not hurt either. Our first HF station was an Yeasu FT-990, running about 125 watts Phone and CW. Station two was an Kenwood TS-50 running 100 watts on phone.
Arriving at the lighthouse at 06:00 Saturday morning work started. First order of business was to unload our vehicles and put up the shelters. Then get the antennas ready to haul up the light tower. It was about this time that Mr. Murphy showed up. Our VHF station was to be operating on Six and Two meters. But the club member who would be bringing the VHF equipment had another engagement he forgot about and could not make it. So in true Ham Radio fashion we improvised something. A small homemade J-pole was hauled up the tower along with two hundred feet of coax and mounted to the light tower railing. The other two antennas followed and we were soon ready to get on the air.
Operations commenced around 0800. We worked mostly Twenty and forty meters (which was as hot as a pistol) in the High Frequency bands. A mobile Two Meter radio powered by an AC power supply were hooked up to the J-pole and we were off and running. With about forty watts output on 146.520 simplex we were making contacts as far north as New Hampshire, west to Harrisburg PA. and south to Cap May. Our clubs premiere CW Operator also put up an end fed wire into a tree and operated a Solar QRP CW station, running three watts. His most notable contact was to a Lighthouse in Cuba on Forty Meters. Both HF Stations were running and the only issue we had was the State side contest that started around midday. So finding a quite spot to work was sometimes a challenge. But as night fell most of the contesters faded away and the bands were once again quite. Operations worked into the night, until the overnight crew could not keep their eyes open. One member had set up a small six man tent a few sacked out there. The others caught some sleep in there vehicles. Waking before dawn we got back on the air. During the early Sunday morning hours other club members arrived. Bring coffee, donuts and other snacks.
As with all our events food and drinks were available to the members who were at the event. Our clubs resident breakfast chief was not with us this year. And His Blueberry Pancakes were missed. So I provided the needed items and hardware to serve Pork Roll, Egg & Cheese on Hard Rolls for Sunday breakfast. I have not heard of any issues with my cooking as of yet, and yes I had some too. We also would offer food and drink to any of the Park Rangers or other Park personal who came by to see us. Operations continued till 1100 Sunday. With the threat of bad weather coming in we decided to pull the plug. After dropping the antennas, packing up the shelters and doing a ground clear walk we started off the hook. We as a Club cannot speak highly enough of the Sandy Hook National Park Staff. Any issues or questions were promptly answered or fixed. They came by often to be sure we were O.K. and to see if we needed anything. We have been informed that we will once again be welcomed back to operate in next year’s International Lighthouse / Lightship Weekend. We will all be looking forward to next year’s event.
From LW3DSR, Argentina at Faro Querandi:-
Kevin:
We have published info and pictures at: dead link
Here you have some pictures of our activation.
See you next year!
From Jerry N1QLL at Nash Island Lighthouse:-
Quick summary: I worked 150+ QSO from Nash Island, Maine US 0096 in grid FN64dl, mostly SSB, running 30 watts to a quarter wave vertical on 20M (and some 40 meter CW using inverted Vee.) Highlights included a guy in Germany running one watt CW from a homebrew transmitter, and getting called (twice) on Sunday morning from a lighthouse on the east side of the north island of New Zealand, my all-time best contact from your neighborhood, ZL3AS.
Very best regards, Jerry N1QLL
From Sardinia
Hello Friend
August 17, 2013 I operated from the lighthouse at Cape Carbonara for ILLW IT0023. I was practically QRP is also send the various references for the italian Castle award (DCI)-(WCA) and italian Lighthouse award (WAIL).
The location was difficult to achieve, so no cars or boats, just walk. I worked from 08:00 to about 18:00 utc on 20 and 40 meters with 104 qso.
I enjoyed it, I hope next year to do more QSO from this or another lighthouse.
73 de Emiliano is0brq
From Germany:-
Hi,
the team by DM2C/LH was in 2013 on air - the 7th ILLW!Our Ligthouse in Moritzburg DE0021 - 500 km away from the coast - more as 500 qso´s with 55 countries.
A lot of fun with many viewers and other om´s
More:
www.qrz.com/db/dm2c
hpe see in 2014 again! best 73
The TEAM DM2C/LH 2013
DM2FEH, Frank
DH9KFC, Kurt
DO9TT, Veiko
DM6WAN, Steffen
DG0JT, Peter
From Sri Lanka:-
hi kevin we had a nice time .
Please click the link below:-
Dead link
73 jaliya
From Curtis Island, Far North Queensland, Australia:-
Rockhampton and District Amateur Radio Club once again activated the Lighthouse at Cape Capricorn, AU0059 on Curtis Island, IOTA number OC142. The Cape was reached following a ten hour trip by boat from Rockhampton, Queensland, VK, weather for the excursion being generally kind to the eight crew who undertook what is basically an eight day mini-DXpedition.
National contacts during the light house weekend were down a bit compared with 2012, possibly due to the poor weather conditions in the South of the Continent. Thirty five Australian lights were recorded.
Only six contacts were made with overseas lighthouses in New Zealand, England and United States, but this was offset with QSOs to general stations globally, and huge pile ups with Europe, longpath in the afternoons. Conditions were obviously suitable to produce the abundant “knock us of our seat” signals.
Equipment used was not excessive and included a 200w Yaesu FT1000 MP mkV and Icom 706 and 725s. Verticals, a G5RV and a 3 element beam were all set on the headland some 150m above sea, right on the near vertical cliffs; absolute antenna heaven!
Overall, a total of 763 contacts were made on 20m and 40m and the Club’s VK4WIR QRZ web page attracted about 2,500 hits during the event.
Although the International lighthouse function clashed with the Remembrance Day Contest in Australia it was great to note the harmony between operators and we also happily exchanged a good number of 5X9, 034s, in our case, with the contesters.
It was wonderful to hear many familiar callsigns from a number of lights, with friendships being formed over the past several years; wonderful stuff!
The fishing was not up to it’s normal standard, but a procession of whales continued througout the week directly below our shack at the light.
Many thanks to the ILLW organisers and the lighthouse leasees who operate Cape Capricorn Escape from VK4LMB Mike, VK4WAL Len, VK4ACC Clive, VK4LGZ Garry, VK4VIL Les, budding Fcall lads Warren and Peter (all the way from Canberra) and our latest associate member “Captain Nemo” Rod.
You will certainly hear us again in 2014.
Vy 73
Les VK4VIL
From Cape May Lighthouse USA:-
Hello Kevin,
The Cape May County Amateur Radio Club worked from the Cape May Lighthouse as is our custom. Our weekend weather was overcast but there were only two brief showers. We 
operated two stations and the club built two off center fed dipoles especially for the event. We were pleased with their performance. In spite of the threatening weather, we had a good turn out. 16 club members participated on Saturday and 12 participated Sunday. We had numerous visitors including four licensed amateurs. We are pleased to report that two of the four joined our club. Below are some statistics which are greater than our 2012 results:
459 Total QSOs
44 Lighthouse QSOs
1 Lightship QSO
38 States Worked
6 Canadian Provinces Worked
2 DX Worked (Puerto Rico & Curacao)
I have included a photo of the Lighthouse with the keeper's house and of the two stations working.
73 Till Next Year
Bill Cole, N2CSA
From Peter and Sandra at Lighthouse Buesum:-
We go on Friday to our lighthouse, locatet in Büsum (DE-0098), at the North Sea Coast. We get all permissions to go close to the Lighthouse from the 
office. And we get Power Voltage from the master of the tower!!! That makes shure that we can transmit with high power. Friday afternoon we build our set up. We hat a 16m long mast and a G5RV antenna for 80-10m. The transceiver was a Icom IC726 with 100 W out. The Büsum lighthouse celebrate its 100. birthday this year. That was the reason for the 100 on top of the tower. We did a few contacts before we prefer to go to eat. Than the sky turns to dark and a big storm comes straight in our direction. My wife saied to me: "Say goodbye to your antenna!" But nothing happen to the antenna. We take shelter under our big tentumbrella. We start with the official activation saturday night at 02:30 UTC. It was dark and we had only 3 little batterie lights. The conditions that morning are verry good. We made contacts with the North American Coastline and Cuba (CU-0001). During the Day we had many pile-up´s and we get a visit from the local newspaper, they heared from our activation. The weather that Saturday was bright sunny, blue sky and 25 degrees, so we sat outside on a small table. My wife, Sandra (and SWL Station DE4ABB) offers breakfast, lunch and dinner for us.
We had a great time at Büsum lighthouse and we are looking foreward to come back next year to that lovely tower.
73, Sandra (DE4ABB) and Peter (DL4ABB)
From OR9W on Lighthsip Westhimder I:-
Dear Kevin
Thank you again for the organisation from lighthouse weekend We have about
1600 contact in total .
We were active from the lightship himself call Westhinder 1 Starting too put
up the station on Friday afternoon because were very restricted for
antennas on the ship the setup run easy and very fast. Running with the FT
920 and FT1000 from Yaesu AND THE Acom 1000 Antennes were FD4 and home brew
dipool for 20 and 40m ,and vertical van Cuscraft We were mostly active on 20
and 40m and during the evening on 80m More foto about this event will put on
73
Or9w team 
From Kangaroo Island, South Australia:-
Hi Kevin,
This year, 8 operators from the Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society ventured over to Kangaroo Island, OC-139, and operated from South Australia's oldest lighthouse, the Cape Willoughby lighthouse. For the ILLW we used the special call of VK5CWL. Whilst for the RD contest we used our club call of 
VK5BAR.
Operators were David VK5KC, Paul VK5PAS, Roy VK5NRG, Trevor VK5ATW, Andy VK5AKH, John VK5AJQ, Joseph VK5FJOE, & Doc VK5BUG.
The weather conditions were very severe over the duration of the weekend, with high winds, torrential rain, hail, and lightning. Cape Willoughby was again for the second year in a row, the windiest place on record in Australia, with winds in excess of 110 kph. On Saturday wind gusts were up to 140 kph. All ferry travel to and from the island was cancelled over the weekend due to the weather conditions.
But a combination of some good action on the radio, some great meals, plenty of laughs, and a good supply of good South Aussie wine, kept us all warm.
We made a total of 444 ILLW QSO's on 15, 20, 40, & 80 m on SSB, CW, & PSK 31. A total of 38 different DXCC countries were worked. We also worked about 200 stations for the RD Contest.
We were fortunate to speak to 25 different lighthouses all around the Australian coast, and one lighthouse in New Zealand.
QSL via Direct or the Bureau (via VK5PAS) or via eQSL or LOTW.
Click here to listen to an interview with ABC radio by Paul VK5PAS
Best 73,
Paul.
From Malaysia at One Fathom Bank Lighthouse 9M4LHO:-
Dear Kevin
Our report on video ( Youtube) (Well worth watching. Ed.)
Thanks
Best Regards
Sallehan Bin Din
-9W2SBD-
From Beavertail Lighthouse, USA:-
Newport County Radio Club, W1SYE, activated the third oldest lighthouse in the US, Beavertail Lighthouse, US0156. Club operations were mostly on 20 
meters as our antenna (a 60 foot tall isolated base vertical antenna) was not very effective at higher frequencies. Despite the M-class solar flare Saturday afternoon, which took 20 meters down for a bit, we made contact with approximately 350 stations, including several other lighthouse operations. The station was manned for approximately 7 hours per day using a total of 7 operators and several guest operators. More photographs and information is available at
QSL via QRZ.com information.
73, Bob, WB4SON
From South Bass Island, USA:-
We were delighted to get the South Bass Island Lighthouse on the air for its first time in this event. Eighty contacts including a dozen lighthouses may not seem impressive, but we had a lot of fun doing it. Primary antennas included a 20-meter dipole hung from the flagpole, plus a screwdriver on 20 and 40.
Contacts ranged from the Gulf of Mexico to the Bay of Fundy and the Maritime Provinces, as well as Ireland and Puerto Rico.
We learned a lot from the experience and already have some ideas on how to improve if we are fortunate enough to come back next year.
Special thanks to Dr. Jeff Reutter and Nancy Cruickshank at The Ohio State University for providing access to the grounds, and to those at illw.net who organized the weekend!
Fred Nickerson, NL7CF
From Cape Town, South Africa:-
Dear Kevin,
We had another successful weekend, report as follows:
The members of the Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre ( http://www.ctarc.org.za ), organized by Rob ZS1SA, once again staged the annual event at the Green Point Lighthouse, coordinates (33 54 05.10 S 18 23 59.81 E ) the use of which was very kindly granted by the management and personnel at Transnet National Ports Authority ( http://www.transnetnationalportsauthority.net ), look on the right hand side of the home webpage for the “lighthouse services” section.
We are very fortunate that Green Point is extremely accessible, there is an unobstructed huge lawn area towards the sea and we are graciously allowed to use the large boardroom and the kitchen and bathroom facilities. It is the oldest lighthouse in South Africa, dating from 1824 and serves as the headquarters of the Lighthouses and Navigational Systems of the TNPA and overlooks Table Bay and the approaches to Cape Town harbour.
The term, “The Cape of Storms” is often a very appropriate way to describe the coast line at the southern tip of Africa and countless shipwrecks attest to this, also despite appearances, Table Bay is a treacherous place in a winter storm or a howling south east wind in the summer.
The weather conditions on Saturday morning this year were less favourable but we managed, between the rain showers, to go through the well rehearsed procedure of assembling and erecting the mast and beam on the lawn and the wire antennas from the lantern.
Propagation, was as we all experience, variable and a good number of phone and PSK31 contacts were made, however we were not on CW at all for the first time ever. This was an unusual situation due to personal circumstances.
The ritual of the Saturday evening barbeque (“braai” in South African lingo) was abandoned due to the unpleasant wind and cold but we were greeted with clearer sunny conditions on Sunday.
Green Point is a suburb of Cape Town, dating back to the origins of the city and where many old houses still remain, however, it is now heavily built up, extending far up the slopes of Signal Hill and the shoreline, a separate suburb, Mouille Point, is dominated by high rise buildings. This leads to a common mistake of referring to the lighthouse as the “Mouille Point” lighthouse.
There is further possible confusion, regretfully, in that there is a second Green Point Lighthouse in South Africa which is located in the province of KwaZulu Natal on the east coast.
The 2010 World Cup Soccer Stadium was built on part of what is known as the Green Point Common which is reserved in perpetuity for recreational 
activities, the old black and white picture (right) was probably taken more than a century ago. The lighthouse stands proud, not surrounded by much and in the far distance, Robben Island can be seen fairly well.
We are passionate about promoting amateur radio and the continued existence and preservation of lighthouses. A publicity handout was prepared and given to visitors.
We look forward to participating in next year’s event.
73 de ZS1S
Paul
From CE3NLU, Chile, a single operator:-
Después de muchos años de buscar y participar en diversos eventos, decidí ser protagonista y que mejor que activar un faro en este fin de semana pasado, en compañía de mi esposa nos desplazamos al faro de Curaumilla (CL0017) distante 140 km desde casa para instalar una antena 14-AVQ, que
no funcionó, por lo tanto improvisamos unos dipolos con los planos de tierra, logramos estar operativos en 40 y 20 metros.
El viento fue permanente, y el frío en la noche fue extremo, aun así fue una excelente experiencia y ya estamos viendo como operar un nuevo faro el próximo año, pero eso si con mejores condiciones para la estadía.
(Translation: After many years of search and participate in various events, I decided to be the protagonist, and what better to activate a beacon in this past weekend, with my wife we move to Lighthouse Curaumilla distant 140 miles from home (CL0017) to install a 14-AVQ antenna, which did not work, so we improvised some dipoles with ground planesWe were able to be operating in 40 and 20 meters. Wind was permanent, and cold in the night was extreme, yet was an excellent experience and we are already seeing how to operate a new lighthouse the next year, but that if better conditions for the stay.
saludos
Freddy
CE3NLU
From W6L at old Point Loma:-
Hi Kevin,
We enjoyed our first year of participation in the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend. This was also the first year of activation for the Old Point 
Loma lighthouse (US 0067) in San Diego, California. We hope to be back again next year. Photos of our International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend special event can be seen at http://convair220.com/SPECIALEVENTS.html
73, The team at W6L
From Spain:-
Hi Kevin,
again after 2011 i activated the "Faro de Torrox" - ES0009.
Once again it was an activation in connecion with the family holiday during the hot spanish summer.
Daytime temp appr. 35 degr celsius and much hotter into the sun.
Nevertheless i managed to contact some stations, although it is difficult to be heard, when calling CQ with QRP.
Especially the saturday was a disaster, when the russian contest started.
Was glad to get even 2 ZL stations int the log at EU-midnight.
Se attached a foto from the lighthouse with beach and mediteranen sea
and another one at sunset.
73s and hpe cu
Ray EA7/DH6DAO
From Cuba:-
Hola Kevin,
I send you here some pictures and info from T40C crew for ILLW 2013:
From Spain EG1CDT Cape Tourinan:-
Hi kevin.
Waiting for the new event of 2014 from a new lighthouse of our coast.
It was wonderful from a magical lighthouse able to see the last sunset of europe.
until next year!
EA1HNP, Manager
From VK3WI, Amateur Radio Victoria:-
ILLW 2013 at the Williamstown Time Ball Tower
Amateur Radio Victoria VK3WI activated the Time Ball Tower at Point Gellibrand Heritage Coastal Park for its 10th consecutive year in the International 
Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend, and despite the weather proved to be very successful.
This was yet another great event with a total of 22 individual lighthouses out of an overall total of about 90 contacts. The ILLW is a great event that helps promote both amateur radio and the need to our preserve our lighthouses, or in our case, the Time Ball Tower. It began on the Saturday at about 8am with the Parks Victoria permit and keys in hand saw the Events Coordinator Terry Murphy VK3UP meet Ian Downie VK3LA at the gate.
After moving a caravan adjacent to the Time Ball Tower the pair set up and anchored the annex before the predicted gale force winds and heavy rains hit. It was then time to put up some antennae. The first was Terry VK3UP's latest home brew 20 metre band "aluminium ground mounted quarter wave vertical" hastily constructed the night before. VSWR showed 1 to 1 using a single ground rod earth stake.
Then came the four ground radials and tested the VSWR again. It was still 1 to 1. While this was happening David Scott VK3FMPW arrived and then ambled off and set up a vertical tripod mounted antenna for 2 metres in the car park area and made a few contacts. While erecting the X50 Diamond 2m/70 cm antenna, Ian VK3LA set up his "Off Centre Fed" dipole which was hung between the Time Ball Tower and the Flag Pole. Barry Robinson VK3PV arrived and also assisted in the set up. The next antenna was my old faithful 80/40 metre dipole in the Inverted Vee configuration. This was slung from the top of the Time Ball Tower from the usual position. The bands were reasonably quite this year with a considerable reduction in the noise floor which we believe emanates from a nearby factory from time to time.
The Inverted Vee was tested and with a VSWR of less than 1.2 to 1 across 40 metres and 1.3 to 1 on 3.620 MHz, we settled in for some lighthouse contacts. Mark Flanders VK3FMGF dropped in for a chat. Seems he was doing the rounds of the various lighthouse stations and didn't stay too long as he was on a time line. Jim Linton VK3PC and Pauline Zahra arrived and after a chat and a nibble on some cupcakes. Terry VK3UP made a few more contacts before the "silence period" leading up to the Remembrance Day Contest in respect for our fallen. This was announced on frequency and everyone was quiet.
No sooner had 0100z ticked over, the bands jumped alive with stations calling CQ RD until the frequency was reclaimed and the CQ Lighthouse QSOs resumed. Barry VK3PV headed home around while Jim VK3PC and Ian VK3LA made some more contacts before they left around 6pm local time. Terry VK3UP stayed overnight and worked a few more stations after dinner before retiring to do it all again in the morning.
The next day Terry VK3UP took advantage to dismantle the caravan annex and some antennas. Barry VK3PV arrived around 9am and after settling in, quite a few contacts were made and notched up several more lighthouses. John Karr VK3FMPB arrived some time later and after socialising for a bit and a quick look around the station, headed off towards Altona were he set up his own portable station. Once the RD contest finished it was like someone had turned off the bands. There was hardly a station to be heard. Now was our chance as virtually the only ones still active were lighthouses so some more contacts followed. Jeff Swaby VK3HJA called in for a looksee and chin wag on Sunday. The sky was becoming ominous and a wise decision to pack up was made and with the time consuming work done in the morning, the final pack up was in record time and went home at 4.30pm. We will be back in 2014.
Terry Murphy VK3UP
Events Coordinator Amateur Radio Victoria
From Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, USA:-
This was our second year to activate the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse US-0146 at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina,
USA. The National Park once again gave us permission to erect our equipment at the base of the lighthouse. We used the special event call W4H.
We used inverted Vs and a fan dipole to operate on 15, 20, 40, and 80 meters. We ran two stations on phone and another for QRP CW.
Calling CQ and also searching around for other lighthouses, we made 18 lighthouse contacts, the furthest being Leasowe lighthouse GB4LL in England. Our most remote contact was the VK5CE Dxpedition on Flinders Island, Tasmania
We spoke to many lighthouse visitors. Most were impressed with our ability to talk around the world. Along with lighthouse history, we explained that ham radio has historical roots at Cape Hatteras. It is the location where radio pioneer Reginald Fessenden transmitted the first musical notes in 1901.
Some rain fell late on Saturday but Sunday had fine weather. In all we made a total of 101 contacts. We are already planning for next year.
Barry N8PPF, John KK4DMT, Richard K4HAT, Duane N1PLV, and Howard K3OIL
From Oak Orchard Lighthouse, USA:-
Thanks for having us part of the Lighthouse Weekend. It was a great 
time. The Orleans County Amateur Radio Club WA2DQL set up at The Oak
Orchard Lighthouse in Point Breeze,New York. It is a reconstructed
lighthouse build to the same as the original that was destroyed in a
storm in 1916 on Lake Ontario.
We operated Sat and Sunday for about 6
hours each day. We used a G5RV with a Icom 7000 that did a great job.
The Light House group was a great help and very supported to us. We
called CQ being the first year and we had 341 contacts. 40 of them were
from DX Country. The weather was perfect and the club support so good. I
have sent a couple of pictures and we have order QSL cards.Hope to do it
next year also andthanks again for having us
Terry K2EYS
From Denmark, OU8A:-
Hi kevin
This was our first ILLW activation.
The team members where OZ1CX Christian, OZ1XT Claus, OZ0ABC Karsten, OZ8NJ Niels & 5p0o Steen.
Last year we did an activation from Nakkehoved Lighthouse in a mixed World Wide Flora Fauna and Light house event using the ARLighthouseS numbers and OZFF-037. Before the activation (last year) I had contacted the joint museum administration in Gilleleje kommune and gotten a permission to drive up to the Lighthouse a place antennas in the surrunding area.
While we where setting up our antennas Else XX, the leader of the Lighthouse museum, turned up asking what we where doing?
I explained - she had not heared about our event... She went in to the museum, 15 minute later she came back a said that we where welcome to see the museum for free and we needed any thing we should just ask.
This was our intruduction to the Nakkehoved Lighthouse museum. Else & I exchanged e-mail adresses.
When we where at the Lighthouse we saw that there where a small cabin just next to the Lighthouse with a perfect view to the waters between Nakkehoved and Kullen (QTH of 7s7kul). The cabin belonged to the home guard an was used i the Cold War to monitor ship trafic. Via Else we got in cantact wiht the home guard and got permission to use the cabin during the ILLW.
When we had our planing meeting we found out that we wanted more stations in the air, than the space in the cabin allowed so we got a courner in the Lighthouse museum cafe as well.
Most of us had a hard working week before ILLW, so we decided that we should start saturday at 9:00 DST. oz8nj had cheated and went up the day before to raise a mast with a w3dzz. When we assembled the question "when does the museum actualy open" Answer 11:00 :-(
As Christian, Claus & Karsten only had the Saturday free for the event, we decided to place their stations in sorundings of the Lighthouse.
I Occupied the cabin and raised my 11m portable mast with a w3dzz.
OZ8NJ set-up his station in the cafe (next to the coffee machine).
OZ1CX had a 16m fiberglass mast as a half wave GP for 20m & 40m,
OZ0ABC had a 5/8 GP for 10m
OZ1TX used a GP for 12m & 17m.
We had a total of 357 qso's - all are uploaded on Eqsl.
Next year we will have stations on/at both light houses and we will get an event callsign.
Vy 73 de
5p0o, Steen
From EA3EGB, Spain:-
Hey Kevin great event weekend, a pleasure to work in such an event, this year I decided Reactivation Cap de Creus, with Rfa ILLW ES-0034, 
conditions were relatively good and was able to contact some 562 stations in different bands 80-40-20-17-21, another great experience and wish you lived next year continue to increase participation, my best wishes but a hug to all of you who did present and until next year 73, s
--
Manel
From Puerto Rico, PR0008
Greetings our experience this year was a very emotional and we saw the increase in visit of radio amateurs in PuertoRico .Where we demonstrate our hobby
and commemorate the dx from Faro Punta tuna and we dedicate the event and gave a plaque in recognition of WP4MVN Edras FIGUEROA,Certificates were given to operators in the lighthouseWe Did QSO in the bandwidth of 50 Mhz,vhf 146,520 ,10,15,20,40 and 80 meter more we communicate with more headlights of south america,europa.And we are already in the countdown to the next lighthouse weekend sharing between friends and important contacts with all the light of the world
Thank You from Faro Punta Tuna PuertoRico 008
PRART CLUB
WP4OLB
From Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, Canada:
Dear Kevin,
Here is the information from our club. We all had a great time and are looking forward to next year. We are still working out the numbers of contact at this time.
All the best
Malcolm VE3BGD
From Germany:
That was exciting event 3rd Weekend in august 2013 at Lighthouse St. Peter Boehl.
300 worldwide QSO’s in CW and SSB and PK31 mode during Saturday and Sunday. The crew is glad having a new ILLW WE in 2014. Station: TEN-TEC Omni VI and Ameritron AL811 Amp; Ant: Dipole.
Thank you for this lighthouse-chatting-idea dear Kevin.
Operators on photo:
From l. to r.::
Dierk/DL8LD, Helmut/DG3LAL and Raymund/DH8RD. Not on photo: Meinhard/DL9LAF
Many thanks to all who submitted comments about the event this year. It was no doubt the best event so far with a record number of entries and reasonable conditions all round.
Kevin VK2CE, event organiser.
